PokerStars' Hold em 888: PokerStars Sunday Million Winners

PokerStars Hold em 888 (known in real life as Andrew Fazekas) took down this week's Sunday Million for more than $140,000. The 21-year-old Canadian is still enjoying the biggest cash of his young poker career. Here's a bit more on how the Sunday Million can give new life to a poker pro's job.

Hold em 888

Real name: Andrew Fazekas
Age: 21
Hometown Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
Profession: Poker player

Poker background: I was a student, but recently dropped out to pursue a career of playing poker professionally, making this huge win all the more timely. I started playing ultra-small stakes with my friends at age 11, typically 3 or 4 handed 25-50 cent nl-holdem. That stopped after a couple years, but at age 16, I rediscovered poker, in the form of online. I played play-money tables and freerolls religiously, also spending countless hours watching the highest stakes cash games that were running. As soon as I turned 18, I made my first deposit. Most of my experience comes from playing online, but I have also played several live hours of limit holdem at the local casinos around me. I used to pride myself as a no-limit player, but now consider both pot-limit omaha hi and fixed limit omaha hi/lo to be my best games currently.

Plans for the new bankroll: This is by far my biggest win. My biggest tournament payout other than this was about $2500 in a pl omaha hi/lo tourney, and onced managed to scoop about $65,000 at the 100-200 nl holdem tables on this PokerStars. So far, no plans for the money, but being a young, sometimes foolish individual, I'm sure there be some stories to tell that are a result of this win!

A last-minute decision: I bought in directly. About six minutes before it started, I noticed it was about to begin. My buddy Simon had informed me earlier that he couldn't go to the casino today, so I said "What the hey, let's play the Sunday Million." Good decision. Simon did eventually come by, but unfortunately, due to having been playing himself all night and day before, he slept through the entire thing! I did, however, make sure he was half-conscious for the final table. Also, at least three of my friends were watching from their own computers, and during the final table my instant-messenger was going nuts! The tournament ended at about 3am local time, so I have not actually talked to anyone outside the aforementioned. I'm sure, however, my parents will be delighted to hear!